AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to education.
Summary
HB0448 amends Tennessee education law to require each local education agency (LEA) and public charter school to provide at least two hours per school year of evidence-based training on positive behavioral interventions and supports, conflict prevention, functional behavior assessments, de-escalation, and conflict management. The training must be incorporated into each school’s behavior intervention training program.
The bill also allows this required training to count toward two hours of the in-service training already required under Tennessee law, so schools can satisfy part of their existing professional development obligation through this new behavioral training requirement. The act takes effect July 1, 2025.
Impact
The bill adds a new mandatory training requirement to Tennessee Code Annotated § 49-10-1304 for LEAs and public charter schools, expanding the scope of required staff development related to student behavior and classroom management. It also amends § 49-10-1304(j) by deleting subdivision (3), and it expressly permits the new two-hour training to be used to meet two hours of the in-service training requirement under § 49-6-3004, affecting how schools structure and count professional development time for educators and staff.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill was received positively in committee, with the House Education Administration Subcommittee recommending passage by a 6-0 vote. No committee transcript is available, but the unanimous vote indicates broad support for the bill’s focus on school safety, behavior supports, and staff training.
Contention
There is little evidence of controversy in the available record. The main policy question appears to be whether the state should mandate additional behavioral training for schools and allow it to substitute for existing in-service hours. Any potential concern would likely center on implementation burden for LEAs and charter schools, but no specific objections or opposing arguments are reflected in the provided materials.